FACE/ OFF

Various teams of doctors around the world are currently interviewing prospective clients for the first ever full facial transplant a la Face Off. Competition is fierce, and research teams are engaged in a "Face Race", as it has been coined, to be able to say they were the first transplanters of a full face. Critics (or ethicists, or reasonable people, depending on how you look at it; you say tomato...) are cautioning that the trauma of living with the entire face of a dead person would be so intense that full and informed consent to such a procedure may not even be possible. They may have a point here. As far as scientific milestones are concerned, this will be amazing. Besides what other procedures this could open the doors to, imagine what it can do to the careers of the researchers who get to the finish line first by completing the transplant. On the other hand, though, seems pretty risky to try to race through the various physical and psychological tests. There is something to be said for dotting all the "i"s when you are talking about replacing a person's face with the face of a dead person, and what about the dead person's family? If I remember correctly I think I remember either Nick Cage or John Travolta of them personally sawing off the face that was over their own facial area in the movie. I can't even wrap my head around the emotional trauma for the receipient or the donor's family, let alone the possible health complications. Face Race- maybe not such a good idea.